1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of cargo anchoring devices and is particularly adapted for use in pick-up trucks and other vehicles which are equipped with post pockets of the type into which vertical stakes may be inserted.
2. The Prior Art
Pick-up trucks normally are provided with flat load beds having vertically extending side walls. The side walls are hollow and include a horizontal top surface. On many such trucks, rectangular openings are provided in the horizontal top surface of the hollow side wall to permit stakes to be inserted vertically for various purposes, such as for extending the height of the side walls and for providing a structure to which cargo can be secured. U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,562 issued July 18, 1972, to Brownstein and U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,113 issued Feb. 7, 1978, to Thurston, typify a type of tie-down useful in securing a load.
In recent years it has become common to attach a camper structure to the load bed of a pick-up truck, and campers typically have a lower portion that fits within the bed of the pick-up truck and an upper portion of greater width that extends above the top surface of the hollow walls of the truck. This structure of the camper necessitates a tie-down anchor particularly adapted for such use. Tie-down brackets or anchors of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,573 issued July 15, 1969, to Nagers and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,253 issued July 8, 1969, to Lippiatt.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,253, a hold-down bracket for securing a camper to a pick-up truck may include a vertical post-like member which is inserted into a rectangular hole in the top surface of the wall of the truck, and further includes an arm which extends from the top of the post-like member outwardly from the camper over the top surface of the wall and then extends downwardly to a lower end which includes an aperture or other means to which the camper can be secured, typically by a tensionable member.
A hold-down bracket for securing a camper to a pick-up truck typically includes an outwardly extending arm which is a hazard if left in place after the camper has been removed. One reason for removing the camper is to use the pick-up truck to carry some other load which may need to be secured to the truck. In this case, it is desirable to remove the hold-down brackets used for securing the camper and to replace them with anchors that are less hazardous and that are more appropriate for use in securing cargo.
It is difficult and time consuming to remove the typical camper hold-down bracket and then to install in its place a cargo anchor. This difficulty is caused by the need to undo the fasteners used for securing the post-like portions of the hold-down fittings in the post pockets. Clearly a need exists for a single device that can be used alternatively for holding down a camper or for securing cargo.